Will j



(No Mardel.)

W. J. WORDEN.

HAT 0R GAP.

No. 573,192. i Patented Deo. 15, 1896 me mams PErsns co, Maremma, wnsnmarom o. t:4

UNITED NSTATES PATENT OFFICE.

i VILL J. lVORDEN, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE IV. da IV.

MANUFACTURING COMPANY,4 OF SAME PLACE.

HAT OR CAP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 573,192, dated December 15, 1896.

A Application led July 3, 1896. Serial No. 598,007x (No model),V

To all whom it may concern.;-

Be it known that I, WILL 'JL WORDEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Caps or Hats; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in hats, caps, and the like, and more especially those which are made of soft material; and it has for its general object to provide a cap or hat with cheap, simple, and neatly-appearing means whereby it may be readily increased or diminished in size, so as to comfortably and snugly lit heads of various sizes without constriction thereof and permit of it being comfortably worn by different persons.

Other objects and advantages of the invention Will be fully understood from the following description and claims when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in whichM Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cap embodying -my invention, the same being enlarged to its greatest extent. Fig. 2 is a similar view illustrating the cap as it appears when partially diminished in size. Fig. 3 is an enlarged section taken in the plane indicated by the dotted line w w of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the buckle 'removed Fig. 5 is a detail view of the strap removed. Fig. Gis an elevation of a modified construction of cap in which the strap is art ranged on the inner side of the cap. Fig. 7 is an enlarged section taken in the plane indicated by the line a3 n: of Fig. 6.

Referring by numeral to said drawings, and more particularly to Figs. l to 5 thereof, 1 indicates a cap which is formed of soft material and is of the ordinary construction. 2 indicates a strap, of leather, thin metal, or other suitable material, which is preferably arranged between the material forming the side of the cap and the lining thereof and is secured to said material and lining at one end, as indicated by 3, and 4 indicates a buckle which is secured to the cap and is adapted to adjustably hold the strap 2. The strap 2 is designed to be drawn through the buckle to increase or diminish the size of the cap, and the buckle is adaptedto adjustably hold the strap, whereby it will be seen that the ca may be made to snugly and comfortably iit heads of various sizes.

' The parts mentioned are preferably constructed as shown in Figs. l to 5 of the drawings. In This construction the strap 2 is provided at intervals of its length with indentations G, although apertures or projections may be employed when desired. These indentations li are numbered, as shown, so that the `operator may readily ascertain the size of the cap when adjusted or may adjust it to any desired size by passing it through the buckle 4 until the figures indicating the desired size appear through the buckle. The said buckle et is attached to the outer side of the material forming the side of the cap by stitches or other suitable means, and it is provided with the loops 7, designed to receive and guide the strap 2, as better shown in Fig. 3, and is .also provided with the resilient tongue 8, which has a teat or projection 9, designed to take into or engage the indentations 6 of the strap, so as to hold said strap, and consequently the cap, in its adjusted position. The buckle 4 also has an aperture l0, through which the user may see the figures on the strap 2 and thereby know when he has moved the strap and increased or diminished the size of the cap to the desired extent.

When the strap 2 is drawn through the buckle 4 to ,diminish the size of the cap, the outer material of the cap as well as the lining thereof will be shirred upon the strap 2. This, as will be readily appreciated, Will preserve the shape of the cap and prevent it from being uncomfortable to the wearer, and will enhance rather than detract from its appearance.

When it is desired to increase the size of the cap or hat, it is simply necessary for the operator to grasp the same at opposite ends of the shirring and drawin opposite directions, when,by reason of the resiliency of the buckletongue S and the shallowness of the depressions 6 in the strap, said strap will be drawn through the buckle and the cap orhat will be increased in size and will be adjustably held IOO at such size by reason of the buckle-tongue engaging' the strap 2. YWhen it is desired to diminish the size of the cap, it is simply necessary for the operator to grasp the free end ofthe strap 2 and draw it outwardly to the desired extent and then release it, when it will be adjustably held and the cap will be held at the size desired.l In this way it will be seen that a cap or hat may be readily made to comfortably' and snugly fit heads of different sizes and may be worn by different persons.

In Figs. 6 and 7 I have illustrated a modilied construction, which is the same as that shown in Figs. l to 5, with the exception that the strap 2, after being passed through the guide-loops 7 of the buckle/i, extends within the lia-t, where it will bev hid from- .sight, instead of without thesame. In this construction the capor h-atis increased or'di-nrinished in size inthe samemanner asbeforedeseribed.

It will be seen from thel foregoing description and the drawings that all of the embodiments of my invention are verycheap and simple, and do not, therefore, materially in crease the cost of a cap or' hata1nd;it will also be seen that theimprovements'enhance rather than detract from the appearance of the' cap or hat, which isan important advantage, and that while the cap or hat is held snugly upon the head there is no constriction of the head, which is an important advantage.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

l. A cap or hat having a strap attached at one end to the side of its crown and extending partly around the same, and also having a buckle connected to the side of its crown and provided with loops receiving the strap and an integral resilient tongue engaging and adapted to adjustably hold the strap, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A cap or hat having a strap attached at one end to thev side of its crown and extending partly around the same and provided at intervals in itslength with indentations, and also having a buckle connected to the side of its'crownandprovidedwith aresilient tongue navi-nga teat or projection adapted to take into the shallowindentations of the strap and thereby adjustablyV hold the said stra-p, substantial-ly as-and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I aiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILL J. WORDEN. lVitnesses:

CEAS. B. WORTLEY, Mrs.k C. B. WoR'rLnr. 

